This Fish Breathes Through its Intestines!
This fish breathes through its intestines!
You see, this armored Catfish has the remarkable ability to survive on land.
This unique form of locomotion has been named Reffling.
The fish gets its oxygen needs met while on land by swallowing air, and the oxygen then diffuses into the bloodstream via a specially modified portion of its intestines.
It can last a number of hours on land, dependent on environmental conditions.
This is Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil. A most unusual habitat where fresh water from rainfall collects in the valleys between sand dunes. Forming lagoons surrounded by desert-like sand.
It is hypothesized that the catfish engage in this behaviour to find a new lagoon when their old one dries up. Or to find a lagoon with more prey.
When the fish finds water, it goes back to being a fish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scientific classification:
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Callichthyidae
Genus: Hoplosternum
Species: H. littorale
Binomial name: Hoplosternum littorale
Common Names:
Pleco, armoured Catfish, cat fish, Armored Catfish, tamuatá in Brazil, atipa in French Guiana, hassa in Guyana, kwi kwi or kwie kwie in Suriname, cascadu or cascadura in Trinidad and Tobago, and busco or currito in Venezuela.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keywords:
Fish videos, fishing videos, 2024, sealife, gills, fun facts about animals, animals for kids, animals and pets, animals in action, wild animals, types of fish, fish that lives on land, fish that lives in desert, walking fish, breathing fish, fish that Breathes air, lung fish, fish with lungs, Armored catfishes, walking fish, wildlife, ocean, sea, aquarium, fishing, unusual fish, aquatic, continuous air breather
#remarkableanimals #interestingfacts #funfactsaboutanimals